Alarm control mechanism



Oct 1967 s. POLONSKY 3,344,598

ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Oct. 18, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SAMUEL POLONSKY s ATTORNEY 0% 1967 s. POLONSKY ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1965 N O A 30 Mi N.

INVENTOR. SAMUEL POLONSKY HIS ATTORNEY Qflt 3, s PO O ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Oct. 18, 1965 ill.

will! HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,344,598 ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM Samuel Polonsky, Medway, Mass., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,182 Claims. (Cl. 58--22.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a secondary alarm set mechanism for setting incremental variations in an alarm time. A clock timer is provided with a conventional 12-hour alarm set cam gear and a conventional set stem is used for adjusting the rotary position of the cam gear to set an alarm time. A secondary alarm set lever is frictionally connected with the alarm set gear for providing incremental adjustments in the rotary position of the alarm set cam gear. A detent construction is provided on the upper portion of the secondary alarm set lever and gear teeth are formed on the lower portion of the lever. With this arrangement, the secondary alarm set lever may be rotated pro-selected increments for providing variations in alarm setting.

This invention relates to an alarm control mechanism and, more particularly, to an alarm clock timer having a primary alarm set mechanism and a secondary alarm set mechanism for providing incremental variations in the alarm time.

In the copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 458,639, Polonsky and King, filed May 25, 1965, now Patent No. 3,280,547, granted Oct. 25, 1966, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed an alarm set control mechanism in which incremental adjustments may be made in the alarm set time by lifting a lever and moving it one or more increments to the right or left of a central position. In that timer, for example, should a user who normally has his alarm set for 7 am. desire to have the alarm sound at 6:30 am, it is merely necessary for him to move a secondary alarm set lever at the front of the clock timer one increment to the right to reset the alarm to sound thirty minutes earlier than usual. This adjustment may be easily made in a dark room without rotating the usual alarm control stem located at the rear of the clock timer and simultaneously watching the alarm set indicator at the front of the clock timer.

This invention is also concerned with that type of secondary alarm control, and has as its general object the provision of a new and improved mechanism for providing incremental variations in the alarm set time.

Another object of the invention is to provide secondary alarm set control arrangement which may be easily set by simply rotating a knob.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a secondary alarm set arrangement which is reliable and not susceptible to failure of any kind.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention a clock timer is provided with a conventional rotatable alarm set member, and a conventional primary means is provided for adjusting the rotary position of the alarm set member to set an alarm time. A unique secondary alarm set lever is frictionally connected with the alarm set member for providing an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of the alarm set member. Detent means is provided on the upper portion of the unique secondary alarm set lever for releasably holding the secondary alarm set lever in one of a plurality of preselected positions. Gear teeth are formed on the lower portion of the secondary alarm set ice - lever, and a gear is arranged in meshing engagement with the gear teeth for moving the secondary alarm set lever to one of the plurality of pro-selected positions defined by the detent means. With this arrangement, a reliable unique construction which may be easily set by simply rotating a knob is provided for introducing pre-selected variations in the position of an alarm set member.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of an alarm clock timer incorporating my improved construction for providing incremental variations in an' alarm set time;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portion of the face of a clock timer embodying this invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a clock timer with the front face removed and other portions broken away of the alarm clock timer shown in FIG. 1, the alarm mechanism being in a set position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the alarm mechanism in the released sounding position;

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4 illustrating the detent arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings and first, particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a clock timer which is suitable for mounting in any desired manner on apparatus such as a radio receiver (not shown). This mechanism comprises a supporting structure including a front plate 4, upon which is mounted a dial plate 6 having the usual clock .indicia painted or otherwise generally centrally placed thereon. The clock is provided with hour, minute, and second hands 8, 10, 12, respectively, mounted for movement over the dial and driven by a conventional timing device gear train.

The timing device may include any suitable form of timer motor here shown as a self-starting synchronous motor having a field coil 14 which is connected to a source of regulated frequency alternating current. A resilient magnetic vibrator 20 operated by leakage flux from the motor is arranged to have its free end portion 22 vibrate against a portion 24 0f the motor stator and produce an audible alarm at all times when the motor is energized unless the vibrator is prevented from vibrating by a plural position control lever 26.

An alarm time set gear 28 having projecting cam portions 30 located thereon is rotatably mounted on the supporting structure. A primary means for adjusting the rotary position of the cam gear 28 conventionally includes a gear 32 movable into meshing engagement with the teeth of alarm time set gear 28. Gear 32 is connected to an alarm control stem 34 which extends through the rear of the clock and a hand 36 is fixed to time set cam gear 28 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter in order to indicate the alarm time setting of cam gear 28. By this arrangement, the alarm time and the position of cam gear 28 may be set by rotating the alarm control stem 34.

Hour hand gear 16 and alarm time set gear 28- control actuation of the alarm. As shown in FIG. 1, cam surfaces 38 are formed on the hour hand gear 16. In a manner known in the art, at the alarm time set by cam gear 28 cam surfaces 30 and 38 cooperate with each other to move hour hand gear 16 axially away from cam gear 28. During this movement, hour hand gear 16 trips plural position control lever 26 to release the alarm vibrator 20 thereby permitting the vibrator 22 to vibrate against motor field portion 24 to sound the alarm.

As is shown most clearly in FIG. 5, a shaft and sleeve center stack extends through a shaft opening 40 which is formed in front plate 4. The center stack includes a central sweep second hand shaft 42 having sweep second hand .-12 mounted at its end; and a minute hand sleeve 44 surrounding the sweep second hand shaft and carrying at its outer end the minute hand 10. An hour hand shaft 18 surrounds the minute hand sleeve 44 and carries hour hand 8 at its outer end and hour hand gear 16 at its inner end. An alarm set shaft 46 surrounds the hour hand shaft "18 and carries an alarm time indicator hand 36 at its outer end and an alarm time gear 28 at its inner end. It should be appreciated that alarm time set gear 28 is rigidly fixed to alarm set shaft 46, and thus, the alarm set time indicating hand 36 always indicates the rotary position of gear 28 with respect to front plate 4 and the time set indicia located on dial plate 6.

In accordance with my invention, an improved secondary alarm set mechanism is provided for introducing incremental variations in the relative rotary position of alarm time set gear 28, and hence, the alarm set time. This arrangement includes a unique secondary alarm set lever 48 which is frictionally connected with alarm set members 46, 28 and 36 for rotating the shaft 46 to provide an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of the alarm set shaft 46 and cam gear 28. As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the alarm set lever 48 is generally rectangular in shape and includes an enlarged generally rectangular opening 50 which is formed in its central portion. An arm 52 is integrally formed with the secondary alarm set lever and extends upwardly into the enlarged opening 50. A circular shaft opening 54 is formed in the upwardly extending arm 52 for mounting the secondary alarm set lever on the center stack. As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 5, the alarm set shaft 46 extends through opening 54 with sufficient clearance to enable the alarm set lever 48 to be rotated with respect to shaft 46. The center portion of the alarm hand sleeve 46 includes an annular recess forming a shoulder 56 against which is seated the small end of a conical compression spring 58. The larger end of the conical spring 58 is seated against a washer 60 so that it is compressed between this washer and shoulder 56 of the alarm set shaft. With this construction, the secondary alarm set lever is firmly but resiliently urged into position against the front surface of plate 4.

A washer like clutch disk 62 is provided for frictionally connecting secondary alarm set lever 48 with alarm set gear 28, and hence, the alarm set shaft 46. As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the clutch disk 62 includes a forwardly extending tab 64 which extends through an arcuate guideway 66 which is formed in front plate 4 and into a small generally rectangular opening 68 which is formed in the upwardly extending arm 52 for closely receiving the tab 64. Referring now to FIG. 5, it can be appreciatedthat conical spring '58 resiliently urges shaft 46 and cam gear 28 forwardly so that the forward surface of gear 28 is in close frictional engagement with clutch disk 62. Thus, rotary movement of lever 48 will rotate clutch disk 62 through tab 64 to cause corresponding rotation of cam gear 28, alarm set shaft 46 and alarm set indicator 36.

An extremely reliable and easily manufactured arrangement is provided for moving the secondary alarm set lever to any one of a plurality of pre-selected positions to cause a pre-selected adjustment in the position of alarm set gear 28 and alarm set shaft 46. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of depressions 70, 70a, 70b, 70c and 70d are readily stamped into the front plate 4 at the same time that central opening 40, arcuate guideway 66 and other portions of the front plate are being formed and an opening is also formed in the front plate for receiving a rearwardly extending shaft receiving lug 72. A rearwardly extending detent 74 for cooperating with the depressions 70 is readily formed on the secondary alarm set lever 48 while it is being stamped; and gear teeth 76 are also integrally formed on the secondary alarm set lever during the stamping operation.

A pinion gear 78 is arranged in meshing engagement with the gear teeth 76 formed in the lower portion of the secondary alarm set lever 48 for moving the lever to any one of its pre-selected positions. As shown, gear 78 is fixed to a shaft 80 which is mounted in shaft receiving lug 72. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a knob 82 is connected to the outer end of shaft 80 for rotating the shaft 80 to provide an incremental adjustment in the alarm set time.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of this invention, it can be seen that five depressions 70, 70a, 70b, 7 0c and 70d are provided for establishing four pre-selected incremental variations in the alarm time. As shown by the dial in FIG. 2 these variations have been arbitrarily set in the embodiment shown to be thirty minutes earlier, thirty minutes later, sixty minutes earlier, and sixty minutes later than the usual alarm time. When it is desired to have the alarm sound at the :usual alarm time, knob 82 is rotated to the neutral position shown in FIG. 2 to position detent 74 in depression 70. Should it be desired to have the alarm sound thirty minutes later than usual, knob 82 is rotated counterclockwise. This movement rotates the secondary alarm set lever one increment clockwise to position detent 74 in depression 701;. During this movement clutch disk 62 frictionally moves gear 28 and alarm set shaft 46 clockwise a few degrees to change the relative rot-ary position of cam gear 28 with respect to cam gear 16.

Operation If for example, a user desires to have the alarm normally sound at 7 a.m., the secondary alarm set knob 82 is maintained in the neutral position shown in FIG. 2. In that position detent 74 is located in depression 70. The primary alarm control stem 34 is rotated to move gear 28, shaft 46 and the alarm time indicator hand 36 to position the alarm indicator hand 36 at the 7 oclock position on the dial. During this movement of the gear 28 the front side surface of the gear merely slides on the rear surface of clutch disk 62 without causing the disk to move the secondary alarm set lever 48 through the interaction of tab 64. This is achieved by designing the depth of the depressions, the force of spring 58 and other parameters so that the friction holding detent 74 in depression 70 cannot be overcome by the sliding friction between clutch disk 62 and the front surface of gear 28.

With the alarm set at its usual 7 oclock position the clock motor rotates hour hand gear 16, and at 7 oclock cams 38 have been moved sufliciently into engagement with cams 30 to move cam gear 16 rearwardly thereby releasing plural position lever 26 and permitting the alarm to sound. The alarm is then shut off by a conventional arrangement (not shown), and the alarm may be sounded at 7 am. day after day without further adjusting alarm control stem 34 or secondary alarm set knob 82.

Should it be desired to have the alarm sound at 6:30 am. one morning, it is merely necessary to rotate knob 82 one increment to the right to the minus thirty minute position. During this movement, secondary alarm set lever 48 is rotated one increment counterclockwise to position detent 74 in depression 70b, and clutch disk 62 moves the alarm set gear 28 and alarm set shaft 46 a corresponding increment in a counterclockwise direction. With this setting, at 6:30 am. cams 38 will have been moved sufiiciently into engagement with cams 30 to move cam gear 16 rearwardly to release plural position lever 26 to thereby sound the alarm. Should it be desired to have the alarm sound the next day at the usual 7 oclock time, it is merely necessary to rotate knob 82 one increment to the left to its neutral position.

It should be appreciated that my improved mechanism for providing incremental variations in the alarm set time includes a minimum number of parts which may be readily manufactured. The depressions 70, 70a, 70b, 70c and 70d are easily formed while the front plate 4 is being stamped. Moreover, the secondary alarm lever is uniquely formed to provide a plurality of functions, and the detent means 74, gear means 76, support arm 52, opening 74 and opening 68 for receiving tab 64 are easily formed in the same operation.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, and therefore, it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An alarm control mechanism comprising:

(a) a rotatable alarm set member;

(b) primary means for adjusting the rotary position of said alarm set member to set an alarm time;

(c) a secondary alarm set lever frictionally connected with said alarm set member for providing an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of said alarm set member;

(d) detent means positioned on one portion of said secondary alarm set lever for releasably holding said secondary alarm set lever in one of a plurality of pre-selected positions;

(e) gear teeth formed on another portion of said secondary alarm set lever; and

(f) gear means in meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed in the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever for moving the secondary alarm set lever to one of a plurality of pre-selected positions in order to vary the position of said alarm set memher.

2. An alarm control mechanism comprising:

(a) a rotatable alarm set shaft;

(b) primary means for adjusting the rotary position of said alarm set shaft to set an alarm time;

(c) a secondary alarm set lower frictionally connected with said alarm set shaft for providing an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of said alarm set shaft, said secondary alarm set lever including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a central portion;

(d) said central portion of said secondary alarm set lever being mounted on said rotatable alarm set shaft;

(e) detent means positioned on the upper portion of said secondary alarm set lever for holding said secondary alarm set lever in one of a plurality of preselected positions;

(f) gear teeth formed on the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever; and

(g) gear means in meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed in the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever for moving the secondary alarm set lever to one of a plurality of pro-selected positions in order to vary the position of said alarm set shaft.

3. An alarm control mechanism comprising:

(a) a support plate having front and back surfaces, a shaft opening extending therethrough, and a plurality of inwardly extending depressions integrally formed in said support plate above said shaft opening;

(b) a rotatable alarm set shaft positioned within said shaft opening;

(c) primary means for adjusting the rotary position of said alarm set shaft to set an alarm time;

(d) a secondary alarm set lever frictionally connected with said alarm set shaft for providing an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of said alarm set shaft, said secondary alarm set lever including an upper portion, and a lower portion;

(e) detent means integrally formed on the upper portion of said secondary alarm set lever, said detent means being selectively positionable within one of the plurality of inwardly extending depressions formed in said support plate for releasably holding the secondary alarm set lever in a pre-selected position;

(f). gear teeth formed on the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever; and

(g) gear means in meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed in the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever for moving the secondary alarm set lever to one of a plurality of pre-selected positions in order to vary the position ofsaid alarm set shaft.

4. An alarm control mechanism comprising:

(a) a rotatable alarm set shaft;

(b) primary means for adjusting a rotary position of said alarm set shaft to set an alarm time;

(c) a generally rectangular secondary alarm set lever, said secondary alarm set lever including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a central portion;

(d) a generally rectangular enlarged opening formed in the central portion of said alarm set lever;

(e) an arm integrally formed with said alarm set lever extending upwardly into said enlarged opening, a circular shaft opening formed in said arm for mounting said secondary alarm set lever on said rotatable alarm set shaft;

(f) said arm being frictionally connected with said alarm set shaft for providing an incremental adjustment in the rotary position of said alarm set shaft;

(g) detent means positioned on the upper portion of said secondary alarm set lever for releasably holding said secondary alarm set lever in one of a plurality of preselected positions;

(h) gear teeth formed on the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever; and

(i) gear means in meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed in the lower portion of said secondary alarm set lever for moving the secondary alarm set lever to one of a plurality of pre-selected positions in order to vary the position of said alarm set shaft.

5. An alarm control mechanism comprising:

(a) a support plate having front and back surfaces, a shaft opening extending therethrough, an arcuate slot adjacent said shaft opening, a plurality of inwardly extending depressions integrally formed in said support plate above said shaft opening;

(b) an alarm shaft rotatably mounted within said shaft opening, said alarm set shaft including a front portion extending forwardly of the front surface of said support plate and a rear portion extending rearwardly of the back surface of said support plate;

(c) an alarm hand mounted on the front portion of said alarm set shaft;

((1) an alarm set gear fixed to the rear portion of said alarm set shaft;

(e) annular clutch disk means rotatably mounted on said alarm set shaft and positioned between the back surface of said support plate and said alarm set gear;

(f) primary alarm set gear means in meshing engagement with said alarm set gear;

(g) a generally rectangular secondary alarm set lever, a generally rectangular enlarged opening formed in said secondary alarm set lever, an arm integrally formed with said alarm set lever extending upwardly into said enlarged opening, a circular shaft opening formed in said arm for mounting said secondary alarm set lever on the front portion of said alarm set shaft;

(h) spring means positioned between the forward portion of said alarm set shaft and said arm for resiliently urging said arm into engagement with the front surface of said support plate;

(i) a tab integrally formed with said annular clutch disk extending forwardly through the arcuate slot formed in said support plate for insertion within an opening formed in said upwardly extending arm whereby rotation of said secondary alarm set lever 5 will cause corresponding rotation of said annular clutch disk;

(j) a stud provided on said support plate, a shaft having a pinion gear mounted thereon supported for rotary movement within said stud;

(k) gear teeth formed in the bottom portion of saisecondary alarm lever in meshing engagement with said pinion gear;

(I) rearwardly extending detent means formed in the 3,280,547 10/1966 Polonsky et al. 5822.5

selective movement into the depressions formed in said support plate whereby rotation of said pinion gear will cause corresponding rotation of said secondary alarm set lever, said annular clutch disk and the said alarm set cam to provide an incremental adjustment in the alarm set time.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1952 Daly 7410.41

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

upper portion of said secondary alarm set lever for 15 LORCH, Assistant Examiner- 

1. AN ALARM CONTROL MECHANISM COMPRISING: (A) A ROTATABLE ALARM SET MEMBER; (B) PRIMARY MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ROTARY POSITION OF SAID ALARM SET MEMBER TO SET AN ALARM TIME; (C) A SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER FRICTIONALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID ALARM SET MEMBER FOR PROVIDING AN INCREMENTAL ADJUSTMENT IN THE ROTARY POSITION OF SAID ALARM SET MEMBER; (D) DETENT MEANS POSITIONED ON ONE PORTION OF SAID SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER IN ONE OF A PLURALITY OF PRE-SELECTED POSITIONS; (E) GEAR TEETH FORMED ON ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER; AND (F) GEAR MEANS IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GEAR TEETH FORMED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER FOR MOVING THE SECONDARY ALARM SET LEVER TO ONE OF A PLURALITY OF PRE-SELECTED POSITIONS IN ORDER TO VARY THE POSITION OF SAID ALARM SET MEMBER. 